These papers primarily concern Djerassi's research in organic chemistry and include correspondence, reports, and lab notebooks on optical rotary dispersion and mass spectrometry; other research files containing correspondence, manuscripts, and reprints; reprints of Djerassi's published articles; and grant files. There are also some materials pertaining to symposia and administrative concerns of the Dept. of Chemistry at Stanford.

University research scientist and industrialist, Djerassi is most famous for synthesizing the first oral contraceptive. Born in Vienna, Austria, in 1923, he emigrated to the United States in 1939. He received his B.A. in 1942 from Kenyon College and worked briefly with the Ciba Phamaceutical Company before receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He taught at Wayne State University in Detroit and worked at the pharmaceutical company Syntex in Mexico before joining the Stanford faculty as Professor of Chemistry in 1959. He is the author of over 1100 articles, seven books on scientific subjects, and several novels; his awards include the National Medal of Science, the Priestly Medal, the first Wolf Prize in Chemistry, and the National Medal of Technology.

251.25 Linear Feet

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This collection is open for research. Accession ARCH-2016-009 is on deposit through 2020.